


People Always Leave

by darlingswanscharmedbygold



Series: The Captain, The Beauty and Their Bae [10]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Abandonment Issues, Age Play, Angst, Child Abandonment, F/M, Non-Sexual Age Play, Pacifiers, light cursing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 20:47:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9090118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darlingswanscharmedbygold/pseuds/darlingswanscharmedbygold
Summary: Baelfire either gets left or does the leaving. He can't quite grasp the fact that Killian and Belle aren't going anywhere and that he doesn't have to run this time. Especially after they learn his little secret.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Since I wrote an origin story for "Never Too Far", figured I'd do the same for this one. As always, I do take prompts.

The death of Rumple hit the town of Storybrooke deeper than anyone ever pictured it would. Regina had managed to contain the town from being destroyed without making everyone split up, which meant everyone could stay together. But to Baelfire (he had gone back to his original name after his father’s death, in memory of him, it just felt better than Neal), it meant nothing. His father was gone. He still had Henry, but even him he had to share with Emma and Regina. He and Emma had not gotten back together as he hoped and not even because she wanted Killian. No, the pirate had moved onto someone else.

 

Belle had been hesitant to move on so quickly. It took time, but soon she was dating the pirate and their love was growing stronger and stronger by the day. True love was the rarest magic of all. This upset Bae, but not for the reasons one would think. He knew his papa was dead, Belle should move on. It was what was meant to be.

 

Belle had become like a mother figure to him, she was there for him more than Milah ever had been. And Killian was like a second dad. After Rumple’s death, he really tried to reach out and be there. But now they were dating. He was living in his father’s old house with Belle and he worried that he’d either be asked to leave or that Belle would. So, he did what he always did when he got scared, he started acting like a jerk.

 

Belle walked through the door with Killian after yet another date night. The first thing she saw was an empty pizza box in the center of the living room, empty beer cans next to it. She shut her eyes and counted back from ten.

 

“This happen often?” Killian asked, confused. It didn’t seem like Bae, even aboard the Jolly Roger he had done his fair share of the cleaning. Hell, some of the crew had tried to con the boy into covering their chores since he was so good at it.

“No, not until recently. I don’t know what’s gotten into him lately.”

“Maybe he’s not as okay with us dating as we originally thought.”

“I guess now wouldn’t be a good time to mention to him that you’re moving in.” She was quiet for a minute. “Are you sure it’s okay that I’m not asking him to move out?”

“Bae’s always been like a son to me. I want him here with us, he shouldn’t be alone.”

“I just feel like his mother sometimes. And not in a bad way. I want to be that for him. I just wish there was a way…”

“Would you like me to speak with him, love? About the mess?”

“Maybe it’d help.”

 

Killian gave her a smile, gently kissing her lips before heading upstairs. He knocked on Baelfire’s door and when he got no response, he walked in. His old shipmate was sprawled out across his bed, playing a game on his phone.

 

“Hi.”

Bae looked up and rolled his eyes. “What?”

“Well first of all,” Killian snatched the phone.

“Give me that back, you dirty pirate.”

“I don’t know much about these talking phones, but I do know that the screens break easily. It’d be a shame if my hook…”

Baelfire shot up like a cannon. “What do you want?”

“For you to drop the cheek. I don’t know what’s gotten into to you…”

“What’s gotten into me? You’re not my father!” Baelfire yelled.

Killian sighed. Of course he wasn’t, he had never been in Bae’s eyes. As badly as he wanted to be. “Maybe not, but I know your father wouldn’t have wanted you to behave like a sullen teenager. Belle doesn’t need this.”

“Then maybe Belle should just ask me to leave! Then the two of you can move in here and have your happy fucking family, once again Baelfire not included.” He hopped off the bed and headed for the door, only to get pulled back by Killian.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“What else? My entire life I couldn’t have a family. Even now, I have a kid and I barely get to see him because I have to share him with two other women. At least he has people that care about him, people to care for him.”

The pirate looked him in the eye. “You don’t think you have people who care?”

“The only person I had was Papa and he’s gone now.”

Killian felt his heart breaking. “Bae, I care.” He watched Bae roll his eyes. “I do. And Belle does too.”

“Right.”

“You want a father? Fine, I’ll be your father. Right now, you’re acting like a stubborn brat. Belle and I care, we want to be your family. We’re trying, you just won’t tell us what you need.”

“Just let me go! You did it once, shouldn’t be too hard to do it again.”

 

With that, Baelfire wormed his way out of Killian’s grip and stormed out the door. The pirate sighed and just the noticed something sticking out from under Bae’s pillow. He pushed it back and picked up the blue object. It had a plastic front, with a rubber nipple coming out of the back, the kind he had seen on baby bottles from long ago. He headed downstairs where a stunned Belle stood.

 

“He just stormed out of the house…why do you a have a pacifier?”

“A paci-what?”

Belle giggled despite her shock. “It’s something they give babies to calm them down in this world.”

“I found it under Bae’s pillow.”

The brunette’s eyebrows knitted for a moment and then it clicked. “You know, Snow let something interesting slip the other day.”

“Okay and we’re changing the subject.”

“No, this is on topic. Emma sometimes needs little time.”

“Little time?”

“When she can act younger. She sucks on pacifiers such as that one, drinks from bottles, watches children’s movies, overall acts like a very small child. They only found out when they discovered some baby items of hers and they do it when Henry’s at Regina’s or hanging out with Bae.”

“You think Bae needs that kind of treatment? He’s a grown man.”

“I did some research after Snow told me. It’s a comfort thing. It’s not always done with people with traumatic childhoods, but it can occur. Bae’s was not the greatest, he had to grow up pretty fast.” Belle sighed. “I’m assuming he’s been under more pressure given us dating, the poor thing probably feels like we’re going to ask him to leave.”

Killian reflected on his words, suddenly it was all making sense. “I tried telling him we want to be his family, but he didn’t believe it. Show me your research on this thing.”

 

Bae didn’t return until the next morning. He got a room at Granny’s for some space. He felt terrible for how he had acted and knew for certain when he returned that he’d either be asked to pack up and leave or Belle would already be gone. When he walked through the door, he was greeted by the pirate.

 

“Bae, please come into the living room.”

 

Baelfire took a deep breath, but followed him in. Belle hopped up, hugging him tight. Caught off guard, he hugged her tighter.

 

“You didn’t come home last night,” she breathed.

“I got a room at Granny’s.”

“Never do that again. I was so worried.”

Now Bae was confused. “So, our arrangement isn’t changing?”

“Oh, it is, just not in the way you think.” She had him sit down and took his hand. “Killian is moving in.”

“Okay?”

“We found this lad,” Killian held out the pacifier and Bae squirmed a little.

“Uh, it was Henry’s. Regina gave it to me, since I didn’t get to see him grow up.”

“Bae,” Belle said, gently. “I’ve done research on this sort of thing. I have a friend who does it, for comfort. They didn’t have a good childhood.”

“We’ve discussed it. Your parents are long gone,” Killian continued. “But if you want…Belle and I could be that for you.”

“You don’t have to be little when you don’t want to, and you’ll be as young or as old as you want.”

“We want this too, we want to give you a chance to be loved, to show that we think of you as our child.”

 

Bae felt the tears prick his eyes. They were serious, they wanted to do this. It felt very overwhelming.

 

“I uh…I need a minute.” Bae took the pacifier out of the pirate’s hand and went upstairs. He didn’t even make it to his bed, he just curled up against the wall, putting the pacifier in his mouth. People always left him or he did the leaving. No one wanted him, no one was ever going to stay by his side. They were just taunting him, that’s what it had to be.

 

His thoughts were interrupted by a pair of arms wrapped around him. He sniffled and looked up.  Belle was there, hugging him close to her. He buried his head into her chest and she soothingly rubbed his back.

 

“Shhh…it’s alright, Mama’s here.”

 

It would take time for the three of them to find their way with it all, but they would. They would become a family, each of them needed each other more than anything.


End file.
